AMAZING GRACE
“…We believe that through the GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be SAVED…” (Acts 15:11 KJV).
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When I think of AMAZING GRACE and the GREAT SALVATION, the word
DEBT enters my mind. “…forgive us our DEBTS…” (Matthew 6:12
KJV). You can’t really appreciate the AMAZING GRACE of God until you realize
the indebtedness of SIN.
We live in a time where we owe great debts
to banks, people, car dealers, utility companies, wireless services, the department
of education, loan companies, or for medical bills.
A mortgage can be anywhere from $100,000
to over 1 million plus. A new car can cost anywhere from $15,000 to over
$100.000. School loans can end up accumulating into thousands and thousands of dollars’
worth of debt.
If you don’t pay your debts your house
could be foreclosed, your car repossessed, or your cell phone could be cut-off.
In the Old Testament a debtor was often thrown into prison and treated very
badly for not paying their debts by a certain time. If you MADE the debt; you
OWE the debt and usually people have very little compassion when comes time for
you to repay.
However, life happens, things come along,
and no matter how accountable you want to be about your responsibilities; sometimes you
can’t repay ALL the debt. Some people feel really guilty when they fall short
in their ability to repay their debtor.
Debts are vows or contracts we have signed
and promised to repay. We are absolutely bound by what is owed. After my brain
surgery I was not in a position to work and I owed many debts. One debt was
almost $200,000 dollars. However, because of my condition I qualified for a
particular program which totally dismissed my entire $200,000 debt.
I didn’t deserve it. I didn’t earn it and
I wasn’t worthy to be released from my indebtedness; I OWED them, but the
willingness of my creditors, to forgive my debt, reminded me of the Amazing Grace of God. The ULTIMATE kindness.
Grace is really NOT a natural response
when it comes to the repayment of debt. However, I was consider disabled now and there was no way I
could repay such a great debt.
Because I was considered disabled, my creditor did not
treat me according my debts. “…The Kingdom of Heaven can be
compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants
who had borrowed money from him.
In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him
millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master
ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he
owned—to pay the debt.
“But
the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with
me, and I will pay it all.’
Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him
and forgave his debt…” (Matthew
18:23-35 NLT).
I was considered disabled and it was my condition that elicited
the response from my Creditor. In the story above: “… the man fell down before his master and
begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he
released him and FORGAVE HIS DEBT…” (Matthew
18:23-35 NLT). “…FORGIVE us our DEBTS…” (Matthew 6:12
KJV).
Every single person is indebted to God for their DEBT of SIN. “…All have sinned…” (Romans 3:23
KJV). “…ALL unrighteousness IS SIN…”
(1 John 5:17 KJV). “…ALL wicked actions ARE SIN…” (1 John 5:17
NLT). Every person is deserving of death, which is the ONLY way to repay unless their is a DEBT forgiveness program.
“…the wages
of sin is DEATH…” (Romans 6:23 KJV). “…Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law [of God]:
for sin is the transgression of the law….” (1 John 3:4 KJV).
“…As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
(Romans 3:10 KJV). “… [ALL
have become]…..unclean and [their] righteousnesses are as filthy rags….”
(Isaiah 64:6 KJV).
“MY SIN” is ever before me. AGAINST THEE (God), THEE ONLY, HAVE “I SINNED” AND
DONE THIS EVIL IN THY SIGHT…”
(Psalms 51:1-4 KJV).
“ … The
deeds (SINS) of the flesh are EVIDENT,
which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things
like these …” (Galatians 5:20-22 NASB).
Some people will look at “the deeds of the flesh” and say I don’t
do any of those things.
“… Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other
a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and
prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers,
adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice
a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector
stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast
and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that
this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those
who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be
exalted…” (Luke 18:9-14 NIV).
Many of the words, in the Galatians verse
above about the flesh, are just titles for a multitude of other sins. For instance, “dissensions” also means conflicts,
discords, disagreements, rebellions, or oppositions. “Enmities” means hate, hostility, animosity, or ill-will.
Many believers aren’t even aware of what
biblical SIN is any more and are comfortable breaking God’s holy laws. Many
people are told they are already “good” people and don't need God's GRACE. When these already "good" people believe
in Jesus Christ they think they are already pretty righteous and have very little to repent from.
Human beings usually measure a person’s
goodness by what they do. But God measures a person’s goodness by what’s in
their heart, “… [ALL have
become]…..unclean and [their OWN human] righteousnesses are as filthy rags….”
(Isaiah 64:6 KJV). “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me
good? there is NONE good but one, that is, God” (Mark
10:18 KJV).
The world’s standard of
“goodness” is NOT God’s standard of “goodness.”
Without complete repentance, even from your worldly standard of
“goodness;” your human heart “…is [still]…deceitful ABOVE all things and desperately wicked…” (Jeremiah 17:9
KJV).
No matter how many
“good” deeds you’ve done; it is the SPIRITUAL fruit of “goodness” that counts. “…But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, GOODNESS, faith, Meekness, temperance…”
(Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). God said people will know his disciples by their
fruit, not their “good” deeds. . “…Ye shall
know them by their fruits…” (Matthew 7:16 KJV).
The HEART needs renewal
the MOST and it is the HEART God sees. “...God SEES NOT as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD
LOOKS AT THE HEART…”(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB). “…No one needed… to tell him about human nature, for he knew
what was in each person’s heart…”
(John 2:24-25 NLT).
God is looking at YOUR
heart and he KNOWS what is in it. “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know everything I do…” (Psalms
139:1-6 NLT). He knows if your “goodness” is limited to the deeds of the flesh
and NOT from the fruit of HIS indwelling Holy Spirit. “Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited
sepulchres, which
indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead
men's bones, and of all uncleanness… ” (Matthew 23:27 KJV). “…he knew what was in each person’s heart…” (John 2:24-25 NLT).
The world can clap and
applaud you for your “good” deeds and make you “THINK” you have a “good” heart
in their OPINION, but you can still lose your soul. “…what shall it profit
a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
(Mark 8:36 KJV). “Not every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say
to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have
cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity” (Mark 7:21-23
KJV).
God is the ONLY
standard for goodness. Every single person on
earth “… [have become]…..unclean and
[their] righteousnesses
are as filthy rags….” (Isaiah 64:6 KJV). “…As
it is written, There is none righteous
(good), no, not one:” (Romans 3:10 KJV). “For there is not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV). “…there
is NONE
GOOD but one, that is, God”
(Mark 10:18 KJV).
Because some believers thought they were
already “good” people when they accepted Jesus Christ; they haven’t experienced
his AMAZING GRACE. “…All have sinned…”
(Romans 3:23 KJV). Even people who do multiple “good” deeds need a new heart
and need to repent.
Paul, who was an
upright and religious person said: “….I am carnal … [and it is]… sin that dwelleth in me. … I know that in me
(that is, in my
flesh,) dwelleth no GOOD
thing: ….” (Romans 7:14-23 KJV). Paul realized “….apart from [Jesus he could]… do
nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV). “…the flesh profiteth NOTHING…” (John 6:63 KJV).
“… I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth
no GOOD thing: ….” (Romans 7:14-23
KJV). “…There is none righteous, no, not one:”
(Romans 3:10 KJV). “… [ALL have become]…..unclean
and [their] righteousnesses
are as filthy rags….” (Isaiah 64:6 KJV). “…ALL unrighteousness IS SIN…” (1 John 5:17 KJV). “…ALL wicked actions ARE
SIN…” (1 John 5:17 NLT). “…the wages of sin is
DEATH…” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
We lie to one another and do each other a
terrible injustice when we tell people they have a “good” heart. Without Jesus
Christ, NOBODY has a “good” heart. “…there is none GOOD but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18 KJV). And your human heart “…is …deceitful ABOVE all things and
desperately wicked…” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV).
We can tell people they
do a lot of “good” deeds, but that won’t get them into heaven. “…Many will say to me in that
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have
cast out devils? and in thy name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity…”
(Matthew 7:22-23 KJV).
People can do “good”
deeds and have many “good” gifts and talents, but without the “right” heart it
is ALL meaningless. “… if I have the gift
of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I AM NOTHING. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, IT PROFITETH ME NOTHING…” (1
Corinthians 13:2-3 ASV).
A “good” heart starts with the indwelling Holy Spirit. “…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV). “…the Spirit of God dwell in you…” (Romans 8:9 KJV).
“…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV). “…God is love…” (1
John 4:4-8 KJV). “…every one that loveth ….
KNOWETH God. He that loveth
NOT KNOWETH NOT God; for God is love…”
(1 John 4:4-8 KJV). “…And then will I profess unto them, I never KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity…”
(Matthew 7:22-23 KJV).
You prove to be God’s
disciples by the fruit you bear, not your “good” deeds. . “…But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, GOODNESS, faith, Meekness, temperance…”
(Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). "My
Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so PROVE to be My
disciples” (John 15:8 NIV).
“…ALL have
sinned (including the
so-called “good” you) and fallen short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23). “…through one man SIN entered into the world, and
death through sin, and so death passed to all men—“(Romans 5:12 KJV). “…There is none righteous (good), no, not one:” (Romans 3:10 KJV). “For there is not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20 KJV).
The hardest people to recognize their need
for God’s grace are the so called “good” person, the legalistic, the religious,
the hard-hearted, and those who are oblivious to biblical SIN or those who are
oblivious to the fact they are sinning against God and GOD ONLY. “MY SIN” is ever before me. AGAINST THEE (God),
THEE ONLY, HAVE “I SINNED” AND DONE THIS EVIL IN THY SIGHT…”
(Psalms 51:1-4 KJV). “…EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye
shall all likewise PERISH…” (Luke 13:3 KJV).
Therefore, many people have believed in
Jesus Christ, but have never repented. “…If My people which are called by My
name shall humble themselves, and pray and
seek My face, and TURN FROM their
wicked ways…” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV). “…The harvest is past, the summer is ended,
and [YOU]… ARE
NOT SAVED...” (Jeremiah 8:20 KJV).
If you have believed in
Christ that is WONDERFUL, but if you have never repented from your sins you
have done no more than demons do. DEMONS believe too. (James 2:19).
“…BY GRACE have ye been saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; not of
WORKS, that no man should glory…”
(Ephesians 2:8-9 ASV). “….God
…now commandeth all men every where to REPENT…” (Acts 17:30 KJV). "…Therefore REPENT AND RETURN, “SO” that your sins may be
wiped away…” (Acts 3:19 NASB).
Without repentance, you
WILL perish in your sins. “…EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye
shall all likewise PERISH…” (Luke 13:3 KJV). “…BY
GRACE have ye been saved …not of
WORKS, that no man should glory…” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ASV).
“BY
GRACE” means you realized the same thing Apostle Paul realized. “….I am carnal … [and it is]… sin that dwelleth in me. … I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no GOOD thing: ….” (Romans
7:14-23 KJV). “…Who will free me from
this life that is dominated by SIN? Thank God! The
answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Romans
7:14-25 NLT).
Nothing from your Old
Sinful nature is useful to the HOLY God. Not your “good” deeds, not your “good”
gifts and talents, and not your learned, carnal standard of “goodness.”
NOTHING. It ALL has to GO! “…the FLESH
profiteth NOTHING…” (John 6:63 KJV).
“…For if you are
trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law (or doing good deeds in your OWN effort), you have been cut
off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s GRACE…”
(Galatians 2:21 NLT).
“Therefore
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, ALL
THINGS are become new” (2
Corinthians 5:17 KJV). “…I WILL GIVE you a
new heart, and I will put
a new spirit in you. I will take out
your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart…”
(Ezekiel 36:26 NLT). “…it is God which
worketh in you both to
will and to do of his good
pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV).
“…by the GRACE of
God I am what I am (really GOOD)…” (1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV). “… [Therefore]… we all … are changed into the same image [of
Christ] from glory to glory …” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).
When you truly experience God’s AMAZING
GRACE it will leave you HUMBLE and GRATEFUL. Because you have come to recognize
I don’t deserve God’s grace. I didn’t do anything to earn it and I am not
worthy of it. Yet God says, “…“My grace is all you need. …” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).
God’s AMAZING GRACE is his love in action:
“…God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever
believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16
KJV). “Herein is love, not
that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
(substitute, intervention) for our sins.” (1
John 4:10 KJV). “…Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God …” (1 Peter 3:18 KJV).
God’s AMAZING GRACE is the unmerited and
undeserving treatment toward those who don’t deserve it, who didn’t earn it,
and who aren’t worthy of it. It is the ULTIMATE kindness! “…Christ
came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would
not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be
willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his
great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still
sinners…” (Romans
5:6-8 NLT). “…“My grace is all you need. …” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).
“… My grace is sufficient
for thee: …” (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV).
Even
after being saved, I have not always lived right before God. Yet God says “…I WILL heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them.…”
(Hosea 14:4 KJV). “…Where
sin increased, [My]...grace
abounded all the more…” (Romans 5:20 NASB). God’s “…grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB). His “…love
covereth a multitude of sins…” (Proverbs 10:12, 1 Peter 4:8 ASV). His “…Mercy triumphs over judgement.” (James 2:13 NASB).
When I have not lived right before God or
offended him through my actions or thoughts; I couldn’t redeem myself to him
without his endless GRACE. The ULTIMATE kindness toward us all! “If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness…” (1 John 1:9 KJV). AND he
won’t remember my sins because HIS GRACIOUS love covers them over.
“…For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their
sins no more…" (Hebrews 8:12 NIV). His
“…love covereth a multitude of sins…” (Proverbs
10:12, 1 Peter 4:8 ASV).
Before God’s goodness became my standard I
thought I was a “good,” “loving,” and “kind” person, but in comparison to his
HOLY goodness I fell “WAY” short!!! “For I say, through the grace
given unto me, to every man that is
among you, not
to think of himself MORE HIGHLY than he ought to think; but to think soberly…”(Romans 12:3
NIV). “…there is NONE GOOD but one, that is, God” (Mark
10:18 KJV). “… [I had
become]…..unclean and [my so-called] righteousnesses …as filthy rags….”
(Isaiah 64:6 KJV). “…There
is none righteous, no, not one:”
(Romans 3:10 KJV).
I am HUMBLED by his AMAZING GRACE,
especially when I see what he has forgiven me; UNDESERVINGLY. “…Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two
people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,
and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to
pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him
more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the
bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman
and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into
your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with
her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give
me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my
feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured
perfume on my feet. Therefore,
I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But
whoever has been forgiven little loves little…”
(Luke 7:40-47 KJV).
When you truly and authentically
experience God’s AMAZING GRACE you will love like that too. “WE
LOVE, because he first loved
us” (1 John 4:19 ASV). "…For
this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is
forgiven little, loves little…" (Luke 7:47 NASB).
“…Beloved, let us love one another: for
love is of God; and every one that loveth is born
of God, and knoweth God. He that
loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love…” (1
John 4:4-8 KJV).
God’s disciples are recognized by the way
they demonstrate love “…one to another …” (John 13:35 KJV). “…Ye shall know them by their fruits…” (Matthew
7:16 KJV). “…But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE (Grace in action), joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance…” (Galatians
5:22-23 KJV).
God’s AMAZING GRACE is
his love in action. God’s “…love is
patient … [God’s]…love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not
proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not
easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. … [God’s
grace-filled]…love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 NIV).
God’s AMAZING “…GRACE is sufficient for you…”
(2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB). You are NOT perfect. You make mistakes. You say
things you shouldn’t say. You are finite and sometimes, even YOU, with your so-called "god" self need a God's GRACE. The ULTIMATE kindness to ALL mankind, including YOU!
You can’t always gleam grace from your
fellow human beings and sometimes that is challenging to overcome emotionally. It
truly hurts the heart. I am sorry for those of you who are experiencing that
kind of pain right now.
God’s AMAZING Grace is REDEEMING. That's why "HIS" GRACE is the ULTIMATE kindness!! “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…”
(1 John 1:9 KJV). God’s AMAZING GRACE is a response of love. His “…love covereth a multitude of sins…” (Proverbs
10:12, 1 Peter 4:8 ASV). “…I will forgive …and will remember their sins no more…"
(Hebrews 8:12 NIV).
It is often hard to solicit
grace, redemption, and forgiveness from others. But God’s AMAZING GRACE is
always sufficient for your need for redemption. “…I
am the Lord, I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”
(Hebrews 13:8 NIV).
God WILL respond with grace
and being RICH in grace; CAN ALWAYS respond with grace!! If God can; you can: “…I will restore… and I will heal thee of the wounds, saith the Lord…” (Jeremiah
30:17 KJV). God is a “…restorer of thy life…” (Ruth 4:15 KJV).
“….The Lord is my shepherd; I
shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me
beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul….” (PSALM 23:1-3
NLT).
God’s “…grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB).
If God’s grace is sufficient FOR YOU is
should be sufficient THROUGH YOU. “…Create in me a clean heart, O God…” (Psalms
51:10 KJV) “…In this
world we are like Jesus…” (1 John 4:17 NIV).
God makes it clear about walking in GRACE.
“…DO NOT repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,
because to this you
were called so that you may inherit a blessing…” (1 Peter 3:9
NIV). “…May the GRACE of the Lord
Jesus be with God’s holy people…” (Revelations 22:21 NLT).
ONLY “…BY THE GRACE of God I am what I am…” (1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV).
AGAIN, BECAUSE OF GOD’S AMAZING GRACE, “…I am what I am…” I AM SAVED FROM "ALL" MY SINS AND I AM
FOREVER FORGIVEN!!!!! (1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV).
"HIS" AMAZING GRACE "IS" THE ULTIMATE KINDNESS!
HALLELUJAH!
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